Imprinting tool for non-repeating stone patterns in fresh concrete

ABSTRACT

A walking tool forming non-repeating stone patterns in fresh concrete including a flat platform having a plurality of apertures, a shaft rotatably extended through each aperture, a hub on each shaft below the platform on which the platform rests, a flange on the shaft engaging the top of the platform, a plurality of imprinting blades extending from each hub to form a group, the top of each shaft having an anvil head to be pounded, and at least one of said apertures being elongated to render said group of blades on the hub both rotatably and laterally adjustable for varying the stone patterns to be imprinted in fresh concrete.

[451 Apr. 30, 1974 ge on the a plurality of Best....

ABSTRACT repeating stone patterns a flat platform having a haft rotatably extended through each aperture, a hub on each shaft below the Primary Examiner-Rod D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Thomas J. Holko A walking tool forming nonin fresh concrete including plurality of apertures, a s

platform on which the platform rests, aflan shaft engaging the top of the platform,

imprinting blades extending from each hub to form a group, the top of each shaft having an anvil head to be pounded, and at least one of said apertures being elon- O United States Patent 1 Bowman IMPRINTING TOOL FOR NON-REPEATING STONE PATTERNS IN FRESH CONCRETE [76] Inventor: Bradshaw Bowman, 41 Laurel Dr.,

Carmel Valley, Calif. 93924 [22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 288,672

[52] US. Cl...... 404/93, 52/749 [51] Int. E0lc 19/43 [58] Field of Search............. 404/72, 75, 93, 94, 97, 404/89, 124, 133; 425/457, 469; 52/744 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS gated to render said group of blades on the hub both rotatably and laterally adjustable for varying the stone patterns to be imprinted in fresh concrete.

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W'//,M mg 5N -Qv? V IMPRINTING TOOL FOR NON-REPEATING STONE PATTERNS IN FRESH CONCRETE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The method and walking tool in U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,618 issued on Oct. 22, 1968 to Bradshaw Bowman, worked eminently for forming a predetermined pattern in concrete. However, problems arose when non-repeating patterns are desired because the fixed pattern of blades on previous walking tools were incapable of producing non-repeating patterns.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a walking tool wherein spaced groups of blades arcadjustable angularly or rotatably and also laterally relative to each other on the same platform thereby to combine in producing non-repeating patterns, yet the tool is light and can be easily manipulated.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a walking tool with a pair of groups of blades spaced from one another, each group having three radial blades and being rotatable for a variety of adjustments so as to form a pattern of stone in which pattern the imprint of each triangular blade forms a corner of a stone and the connecting lines between the respective triangular corners do not continue beyond the respective corners, thereby forming a good simulation of stone patterns, yet permitting efficient operation for forming the pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the walking tool.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the walking tool.

FIG. 3 is a developed perspective view of the parts of the walking tool.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the imprinting operation with the walking tool.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of one group of blades radiating from a hub.

FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of non-repeating stone patterns produced by the walking tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The illustrative embodiment of the walking tool herein includes a platform 1 capable of supporting the weight of a workman. The platform 1 is made ofa light material such as aluminum and is slotted to reduce weight, and view blades to facilitate positioning same. The platform 1 is elongated in shape and has several journal apertures therethrough, such as a hole 2 near one end thereof, and an elongated aperture 3 near its other end. The aperture 3 is longitudinal on the elon gated platform 1.

Blade groups 6 are beneath the platform 1. Each blade group 6 has a hub 7 and three radially extending blades 8. Each blade has downwardly converging sides 9 which taper to a penetrating edge 11. v

A ring flange 12 on the top of the blades 8 has spokes 10 along the top of the respective blades connectingto the hub 7. The diameter of the ring flange 12 is substantially the same as the width of the elongated platform 1. This prevents the respective blade groups to tilt relatively to the platform and also prevents the blades from being caught in the elongated aperture 3. The groups of blades are interchangeable. A tubular stem 13 extends from the hub 12. The stem 13 rotatably fits into the hole 3 or into the elongated aperture 3; The stem 13 is partially threaded on its outer periphery so as to leave a smooth portion 14 between the hub 7 and the exterior threads, to be journalled in the hole 2 or aperture 3. An internally threaded bushing 16 is threaded on the stem 13 at the top of the platform 1. A flange 17 on the bushing 16 bears against thetop of the platform 1 so that the smooth portion 14 is rotatably held in the hole 2 and in the aperture 3. A hollow shaft 18 is screwed into the top of the bushing 16, and an anvil cap is screwed on the upper end of the shaft 18.

As shown in FIG. 5, the blade group 6 is made in a triangular star shape with concave connecting sides, which imprint such triangular star shape impression or groove to form a corner imprint 21 as shown in the stone pattern in FIG. 6. This is an illustrative embodiment. After the pattern grooves are imprinted into the fresh concrete, the workman connects the points of the blade imprints, by means of a suitable hand tool, so that the connecting grooves 22 complete the non-repeating stone pattern. Such hand tool is usually a single blade on an anvil shaft.

The operation of this walking tool is shown in FIG. 4. Usually the workman uses several units. The workman stands on one or two platforms and pounds with a sledge hammer 23 or the like on the anvil 19 of the shaft 18. Then the workman rests one blade group on the concrete slab and lifts the other end of the platform so as to lift the other blade group off the slab and rotates the same until the desired offset is reached and then lowers it on the slab. In addition while the blade group under the elongated apertures 3 is off the concrete slab the workman may slide it to suitably change the spacing. After the walking tool is so adjusted on the fresh concrete, the workman pounds on the respective anvil heads l9of both blade groups thereby to form the design in the fresh concrete. Then with a hand tool the workman connects the respective corners or apices of the adjacent triangular imprints. This arrangement forms the stone pattern in such a manner that there is no continuous line beyond any come'r imprint. Eah corner imprint 21 forms a joint always outlining an individual stone pattern.

I claim:

1. A walking tool for forming stone patterns in fresh concrete in nonrepeating patterns, comprising a plurality of blade groups, 1

a platform supported on said blade groups and capable of supporting a workman standing thereon,

a shaft on each blade group journalled in said platform and extended above the platform to convenient striking distance to a workman,

the blades in each group being united together and forming part of a pattern,

and each blade group being spaced from the adjacent blade group,

and said shaftsbeing rotatable for angular adjustment of the respective blade groups beneath the platform.

2. The walking tool specified. in claim I, and

the spacing of at least one of said blade groups from i the other beneath said platform being adjustable for varying the pattern.

3. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and

at least one of said shafts being slidable along said platform for adjustment of the spacing between the said blades of each group being generally radial relatively to said shaft.

5. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and

said platform having apertures therethrough for journalling said shafts,

each blade group including a hub connected to said shaft,

and a flange on said hub engaging the platform to prevent relative tilting of said platform and each blade group.

6. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and said platform having apertures therethrough for journalling said shafts, each blade group including a hub connected to said shaft at least one of said apertures being elongated for adjusting of the position of the shaft, thereby to vary the spacing of said blade group relatively to the adjacent blade group on said platform.

7. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and

said platform having spaced apertures therethrough,

one of said shafts extending through each aperture,

a hub in each blade group, said blades extending generally radially from said hub, means to connect said hub to said shaft including a journal portion on the shaft within the adjacent apertures, j

and a flange on said hub engaging said platform preventing relative tilting of said platform and blade groups, 7

at least one of said apertures being elongated for adjustment of the spacing between adjacent blade groups on said platform.

8. The walking tool specified in claim 7, and

an anvil head on each shaft to bear the force of hammering on said shaft.

9. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and

each blade group including,

a hub,

three blades extending radially from said hub, and

each blade having downwardly converging sides to a penetrating edge.

10. The walking tool specified in claim 9, and

said platform having spaced apertures therethrough for the respective shafts, and at least one of said apertures being elongated, and

means on the top of said blades bearing against the underside of said platform being of an area larger than the width of said apertures. 

1. A walking tool for forming stone patterns in fresh concrete in nonrepeating patterns, comprising a plurality of blade groups, a platform supported on said blade groups and capable of supporting a workman standing thereon, a shaft on each blade group journalled in said platform and extended above the platform to convenient striking distance to a workman, the blades in each group being united together and forming part of a pattern, and each blade group being spaced from the adjacent blade group, and said shafts being rotatable for angular adjustment of the respective blade groups beneath the platform.
 2. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and the spacing of at least one of said blade groups from the other beneath said platform being adjustable for varying the pattern.
 3. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and at least one of said shafts being slidable along said platform for adjustment of the spacing between the blade groups.
 4. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and said blades of each group being generally radial relatively to said shaft.
 5. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and said platform having apertures therethrough for journalling said shafts, each blade group including a hub connected to said shaft, and a flange on said hub engaging the platform to prevent relative tilting of said platform and each blade group.
 6. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and said platform having apertures therethrough for journalling said shafts, each blade group including a hub connected to said shaft at least one of said apertures being elongated for adjusting of the position of the shaft, thereby to vary the spacing of said blade group relatively to the adjacent blade group on said platform.
 7. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and said platform having spaced apertures therethrough, one of said shafts extending through each aperture, a hub in each blade group, said blades extending generally radially from said hub, means to connect said hub to said shaft including a journal portion on the shaft within the adjacent apertures, and a flange on said hub engaging said platform preventing relative tilting of said platform and blade groups, at least one of said apertures being elongated for adjustment of the spacing between adjacent blade groups on said platform.
 8. The walking tool specified in claim 7, and an anvil head on each shaft to bear the force of hammering on said shaft.
 9. The walking tool specified in claim 1, and each blade group including, a hub, three blades extending radially from said hub, and each blade having downwardly converging sides to a penetrating edge.
 10. The walking tool specified in claim 9, and said platform having spaced apertures therethrough for the respective shafts, and at least one of said apertures being elongated, and means on the top of said blades bearing against the underside of said platform being of an area larger than the width of said apertures. 